This year’s flu season is widespread across the country. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say the flu struck early this season, shooting up in December when it usually peaks in January or February.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Associate Medical Director, Dr. Matthew Bartels says the flu vaccine is your best defense against the flu. “It is always best to get your flu vaccine early in the season (the fall months), but it is not too late to immunize yourself against influenza. Even if the vaccine strains are not identical to the flu strains circulating in the community, the vaccine has the benefit of lessening the severity of the disease and potentially preventing you from becoming infected with influenza entirely.”

Always check with your doctor first with questions or concerns about getting vaccinated. Call your doctor today to make an appointment or use the flu vaccine finder to find a flu vaccine location near you.*

There are other ways to protect you from the flu:

Always Wash your hands with soap and water

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth

Try to avoid close contact with sick people

Clean shared items including doorknobs, phones and keyboards to help remove germs

Visit flu.gov for more information about the flu, vaccines, caring for someone with the flu, and much more.

*If you are not sure whether the flu shot is covered at a specific location, you should call the number on the back of your ID card to check.